A Few Random Thoughts During My Day Of Leisure

The day's work is done, the feet are up and my cup is filled with a nice cold beverage. Life is good---but could be better if the Bruins could find some offense 'cuz I don't like what I'm seeing on the tube right now. (More on that later).

A few days ago, I expertly predicted the running attack and top notch defense of the J-E-T-S Jets! Jets! Jets! would carry Coach Ryan's to their first Super Bowl bid since 1969. Uh, I'm waffling on that now with kickoff a mere 25 hours away.

As hot as the Jets have been, I can't pick a rookie QB over Peyton Manning. Colts 24-19 in a thriller.

Down in 'Nawlins...........this should be a great game as the good folks get an early start to the Mardi Gras celebration.

The Minny D-line is the best in football and they'll have to be as the secondary could be in for a long day against Drew Brees.
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The crowd will be off-the-charts insane as the 'Aints clinch a Super Bowl berth, 38-27.

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Early candidate for D-Bag of the Year: see Arenas, Gilbert.

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Reason #8,678 that I haven't followed the NBA in a decade.
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To quote George Costanza........Was that wrong? Should I not have done that? I tell you, I gotta plead ignorence on this thing, because if anyone had said anything to me at all when I first started here that that sort of thing is frowned upon... you know, cause I've worked in a lot of offices, and I tell you, people do that all the time."

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Back to the Bruins......yes, Phil Kessel wasn't big on playing defense and his dedication to the team game sucked, but he could light the lamp. The B's got two top draft choices for him from Toronto and I am patiently waiting for the Bruin brass to deal those picks for a sniper (Ilya Kovalchuck???) or the postseason run will be brief, if they qualify.
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Almost time for pitchers and catchers.....NASCAR is getting ready to rev up the engines for another 82-week season. I like the NBA more than NASCAR, soccer too....I know, I've written that in the past. I thought I'd do it again in case anyone forgot (Mike P., Jim).

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Tom Cable is still the coach of the Raiders, for now. I'm checking the internet thrice hourly to see if the madman-who-used-to-be-a-genius has made a move. When you are on the receiving end of a joke by the Buffalo Bills GM Buddy Nix, you know you are in trouble....I'm loyal to a fault, but the last 7 years have been hell as a Raider fan. ...Any chances JaMarcus Russell and Darius Heyward-Bey are practicing their overthrows and drops right now? Hmmm............

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I say we keep the Cable guy but hire an offensive coordinator. Let someone else call the plays. Sad thing is, I don't get a vote, although I deserve one.....Ray Guy got snubbed in the Hall of Famve vote showing the complete stupidity of those involved in the selection process.
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Guy was the best punter in the history of the league. For the naysayers, ever heard of the importance of field position? This guy wasn't an afterthought on the roster, he was a weapon.
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Runner Up for Early Candidate for D-Bag of the Year: see Kiffin, Lane.
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Yeah, that tool will help SC ward off the NCAA vultures with his understanding of rules compliance. Hey, Rocky Top......TOLD YA SO!!!!!!!!!!!

Cable Bumaye!

Don't mess with the Oakland Raiders, or their filing cabinets.
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Like the Zaire fight fans in 1974, chanting "Ali Bumaye" (Ali kill him) when Muhammad Ali knocked out George Foreman to win boxing's heavyweight title, the Raiders took to the chant "Cable Bumaye" when the Cable Guy took the field for last Monday's practice.

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I'm gonna need to get me one of the soon-to-be-on-the-market T's for this one.

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Did Tom Cable punch assistant Randy Hanson in the mug, or did he merely assist him from his chair and into a filing cabinet?

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Don't know, wasn't there.

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Don't care, either.

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The Raider Nation has been void of grit and passion since the Gruden-era, or the Punk-era if you are a follower of this page. Hoping, no, praying, that this becomes a rallying point for a team in need of a purpose, or at least, something to pull them together for any type of cohesion.

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There is nothing wrong with a dust-up in training camp from time to time, although it is usually on the playing field between sweaty men wearing helmets and pads. Boys will be boys sometimes and Raiders will be Raiders.

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The NFL league office is going to investigate but the feeling here is they should stick to reinstated dog-killers and making sure guy's socks are at the correct height levels during games.

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Leave the Raider situation where it belongs, an internal matter overseen by Mr. Davis and the Cable Guy.

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For now, "Cable Bumaye"......................."Raiders Bumaye" to the AFC West.

Shoot me, Please!

I came into Draft Day 2009 hoping Michael Crabtree would become an Oakland Raider.

Looking back, I've been targeting him since the beginning of last season's college football season.

Breaking news : the Raiders just selected Darrius Heyward-Bey of Maryland with the 7th pick of the draft.

The Raiders have become a fixture in the top seven picks of the NFL draft. It is a status earned by sucking year in and year out.

.Drafting a guy with bad hands but with a quick 40-time over Crabtree or Jeremy Maclin is just plain STUPID and SENILE.

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My day is ruined.

I'm turning off the draft. No further draft analysis is coming, the Raiders don't deserve my time.

Being a Raider Fan is hell.

The Cable Guy Gets the Gig

The news that everyone expected is finally official and the term "interim" has been removed from Tom Cable's job description as head coach of the Oakland Raiders.
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I'm happy the long-awaited news is now here. Tom Cable seemed to sincerely embrace the opportunity afforded him during the season and wants to be the head coach of the Oakland Raiders.
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Let's face it, despite being one of 32 head coaching jobs in the NFL, there are many that would not want this job.
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Of those rumored, the pickings were slim.
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Jim Fassel wanted the job, Mr. Davis didn't give him a look.
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Kevin Gilbride ? Hey, I live in New York and barely noticed that he was the OC for the G-Men. To me, he is still the guy who's jaw got in the way of Buddy Ryan's fist when they were coaching up the Houston Oilers a few years back.
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Winston Moss? Intriguing, has been a Raider but not ready for this gig although he fulfilled the Rooney Rule requirement.
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Jim Harbaugh ? Would've been a nice idea, given his brother's success in Baltimore but it didn't happen. Enjoy 6-6 next year on the Farm.
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Tom Cable? The man wanted the job. He coached up the Raider Nation to wins in their last two games and showed a little Pride and Poise in knocking the Punk and the Bucs out of the playoffs.
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He is the right man for the job for now. Let's hope Mr. Davis is as committed to Tom Cable as Tom Cable has been to the Oakland Raiders.

Jon Gruden Fired By Tampa Bay! My Lucky Streak Continues!!!

That sounds oh sooooooo good, I think I'll say it again.

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John Gruden fired by Tampa Bay.
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Good Riddance.

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(Photo By Associated Press).

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***Disclaimer - Yeah, I know, Gruden beat my boys in the Super Bowl. I'll never forget it nor will I get over the embarrassment even though he did it with a team put together by Tony Dungy. That said, I enjoyed knocking the man I affectionately call the "punk" out of the playoffs and helping end his tenure in Tampa. Cut me some slack, I have so little in life to get excited about...........hehehehehehehehehehehehe.*******

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It was said in this spot that it would be fitting that Gruden be giving his walking papers following the Bucs collapse, which culminated in a home loss to the Raiders on the last day of the season.

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And now, it has happened.

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Wow, I should play the lottery or something.

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Seriously........the Bruins are the best team in the NHL, Tar Heel hoops is solid, Denver, Dallas, Tampa Bay, and New England all missed the playoffs and the G-Men choked in the first round of the playoffs.

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And..........most shockingly, I've survived over seven months of marriage without getting booted out of the house.............I'm on a serious roll here.

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Maybe my fantasy baseball team can win its first title since '93, when I was young and naive and Bill Clinton was in his first term.

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Jon Gruden fired by Tampa Bay. Yep, it still sounds good.

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****Disclaimer #2 - Um, Chucky, as of this writing, we in the Raider Nation are still without a coach. We had a good thing in Oakland when you were here until your massive ego got in the way and you acted like a child to force your way out of town. Time heals all wounds (sometimes). You can bring Bruce Allen with you, he did a good job here. Just remember to leave your ego in Florida and just coach some football******

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Predictions - While I'm busy hoping this sudden run of good luck culminates in Michael Crabtree becoming a Raider on draft day, here are the picks for this week's championship games:

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Philadelphia 27, Arizona 24

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Pittsburgh 20, Baltimore 9

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Jon Gruden fired by Tampa Bay.........Had to say it just one more time

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Life is good